Hello Werner,
In Germany we do police bread and other food. There is a Food Law in
Germany. Based on this law there is a *Compilation of Guidelines on Food*
The guideline for bread says:
Pumpernickel is made of at least 90 per cent whole rye flour and/or whole
rye meal with baking times by at least 16 hours (on low temperature).
If pumpernickel is made of whole rye, then the added acid quantity
originates to at least two thirds from sour dough.
You may use 20 per cent bread for rye bread, the used bread should not be
seen in the final product. There are much more directions in the guideline
of bread.
The food-surveillance in Germany is organized by the federal provinces.
There are food-chemists and other scientists working for the provincial
governments who look for the observance of the food-law. Based on the law
there are horizontal enactments and vertical enactments for food like fish,
meat, eggs, honey, jam and so on.
Pumpernickel is a very old kind of bread. In Germany Pumpernickel is baked
in pans, the slices are circular or rectangular. The first part "pumper"
means "to make sound" because of the flatulence , the second part "nickel"
is the short form for Nikolas. In former times "pumpernickel" was a rude
name and means "evil-smelling Nickel" or perhaps "skunk".
Pumpernickel is very heavy and dense bread. It is baked in Germany for such
a long time, that nobody can really explain the name. My explanation I
learned when I was responsible for bread as a food-chemist.
greetings from Germany
Ulrike Westphal